This Summer Salad with Fruit is a light and filling meal on a hot day! It makes an easy, healthy vegetarian lunch idea, or serve as a side or at a backyard barbecue.
I don’t even know who I am anymore.
I’m totally not a salad person. At least that’s what I’ve always told myself.
Chunks of watery iceberg lettuce topped with underripe tomatoes and globs of thick dressing was all I knew growing up. Wisconsin isn’t exactly a wonderland of fresh produce year round.
In the last few years I’ve discovered just how adaptable salads can be, and how light and easy it is to dress them.
Do you like to add fruit to your salad? At first I thought it was weird to mix fruits and vegetables, but now I love the sweetness that the fruit adds to the leafy greens!
Let’s go through our healthy salad ingredients, shall we? We’re starting with a base of spring mix and baby spinach. Top that with grapes, sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, and sliced avocado.
Two ingredients that won’t be quiet in this recipe are walnuts for protein and crunch, and gorgonzola cheese for a soft texture and tangy contrast to the sweet fruit.
This salad is simply dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. No mixing or jar shaking required.
Also, are you sprinkling your salad with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper? You should be! It helps balance the flavors just right.
If you’re looking for more salad recipe inspiration, don’t miss my high protein fresh vegan salad with hummus, gloriously healthy green salad with sriracha peanut dressing, and honey vanilla summer fruit salad (which I need to make right NOW omg)!
Tips for customizing summer salad with fruit
- Use your favorite leafy greens such as watercress, arugula, or romaine
- Swap or add other summer fruits such as ripe peaches, plums, or cherries
- Add charred corn, cut off the cob, for extra sweetness and crunch
- Divide the salad amongst whole grain wraps for a healthy sandwich option
- Swap the gorgonzola for crumbled feta, fresh mozzarella pearls, or your other favorite cheese
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Summer Salad with Fruit
Ingredients
- 3 cups mixed spring greens
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup seedless grapes
- 6 strawberries, tops removed, sliced
- 1 cup mandarin oranges
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup gorgonzola cheese
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the spring greens and spinach. Add grapes, strawberries, oranges, walnuts, and cheese and toss gently to combine. Divide between two plates. Divide avocado amongst the two plates and squeeze the lemon over the top to taste. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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